Growing up in Houston, I would always see Marini's whenever my family and I drove by the old…read morelocation. As I got older, I would pass by it myself and always wanted to stop in...but life kept being life and I just never seemed to have the free time. I was finally able to stop by yesterday! I absolutely loved how the decor starts from the outside...it immediately draws you into the experience. The inside is vibrant, full of life and just feels welcoming. I was warmly greeted as I walked in. I headed toward the register and on my left I saw something that immediately caught my eye: Alfajores. Now, Alfajores are these wonderful sandwich cookies that are especially popular in Argentina and Uruguay. They're unique because they're traditionally made with cornstarch rather than just flour, giving them that wonderfully tender texture. They're filled with dulce de leche and often coated in shredded coconut. Some are even perfumed with lemon zest, depending on the region. I knew immediately that I'd be getting some. I ordered the Gaucho and the Chicken Diablo. The service was cordial and sweet: big smiles and a genuinely warm demeanor. The young lady told me my order would be ready shortly. She gave me an exact number of minutes, but I honestly forgot how many she said! I then turned around and, lo and behold, it all clicked. It was called "Marini's" because of the owners. To my surprise, there was a painting of a face I recognized. Years ago, my family and I attended a church called Centro Familiar Cristiano. Marcelo Marini! He has the kind of face you don't forget--very recognizable and distinctive. I thought it was lovely to discover that he was one of the owners. I only wish I had known years ago that this was his family's business. I absolutely loved how the restaurant is decorated. The writing that guests have left on the walls gives the place so much heart and personality. I've never been to Argentina, but Marini's gives me the impression of being a little getaway...a small glimpse of what it might feel like to experience Argentine culture. The young lady who took my order brought everything out with another smile. The Gaucho was fabulous. It was well seasoned and I loved the added detail of the olives. The chicken was shredded, tender and well seasoned too. The crust was crispy without being greasy. I also really enjoyed the chimichurri and the red sauce, which had a pleasant little kick of heat. And the Alfajores were spot on: tender cookies, rich dulce de leche filling and that coating of coconut that gives them such a wonderful finishing touch. I really enjoyed my visit to Marini's. Next time, I need to eat inside so I can fully enjoy the atmosphere while I eat-maybe with a glass of Malbec.

This place has been on my radar for a long time and finally stopped today. That was best decision I…read moremade all day. The place was tucked off in plaza I had to get up in there and was so pleasantly surprised. So cozy and cute. They have a great selection of empanadas and all the ones I had were sooooooo good. The spinach was a little juicier than I anticipated but everything was made so fresh. The Tia Maria and eggplant were my favorites and the sauces were a great addition in flavor. The dessert empanada sweet potatoes was top tier. The filling was just sweet enough, definitely want to taste the others, especially since they make their own fruit fillings. I can see how they've been around for so long. New customer alert !

I had to take my beautiful wife here as she like good wine and great food…read more We each had us a glass of Malbec and ordered 3 empanadas- ham n chz, onion n chz and beef. All delicious. Can't wait to come back for dinner.

Firstly, let me say I'm going to not remark on the service since this was a takeout meal. It was…read moretimely, prepared and waiting for me when I got there to pick it up. For that I must say, I admire the timing and the timeline of the person who took the order. I had empanadas and I must say I have had better empanadas at non-Argentinian restaurants. These appeared to be a bit overcooked to me. It was a one time experience, so I'm not going to buy any means detract from the experience by further classifying it. I will, however, reserve the right to amend my evaluation either up or down on my next experience.

Great customer service! The place smelled clean & everything looked great. I got 3 empanadas,…read morechicken + potato, beef + potato and yuca + beef and they were all DELICIOUS. The prices were super affordable as well, just about $2-3 per each item. I just stopped by to grab something quick but I certainly plan on coming back and trying out some other menu items. Their desserts looked great.

Que sabroso y todos bien amable y amorosos…read more The empanadas are delicious and the customer service is superb. You're treated like family. Please come support!

Super delicious and wide variety of sweet and savory empanadas with a lot of protein options…read more They also have great choripan sandwiches and Argentinian desserts. Service was good and quick. Only critique was the choripan needed some kind of kick like hot sauce or spicy chimichurri.

I was here several weeks ago with a friend who introduced me to the business. If you follow me you…read moremay have read my post. Specifically about the pineapple cream cheese dessert empanada! I came today to get a dozen, 13 actually, to share with friends on the 4th! I arrived while the counter person was offloading supplies. He said they opened at 11am. I placed an order for 1 dozen pineapple, cream cheese empanadas. I got there at 10:20am. Diego said he would work on it and they would be ready when they opened @11am. Unfortunately, Diego did not have my order ready when they opened. I clearly told him when he was bringing in product for the day that I need a dozen pineapple cream cheese empanadas when they opened. He said OK and continue bringing in product. At 11 AM when they opened, I went in and to my surprise Diego had not placed my order and it definitely wasn't ready. I was a bit annoyed and a tad bit confused. I said to him why didn't you place the order like I asked you to when you were bringing in supplies it went on to say that look if you need payment prior to getting the order that would not have been a problem, but you let me believe you were going to start making empanadas so they'd be ready when you opened. Diego counted with "no that's not what I said, I told you that you could place your order when we opened". To say I was more than annoyed would be a colossal understatement! I was so impressed with this product that I ordered a dozen to share three each with people that I consider special. Unfortunately, for Diego and the business owner, his unprofessionalism and outright deception cost him a potentially long-term customer. Like all of you I earned my money and I want to spend it supporting businesses that appreciate those people who support them. I was so disrespected that I choose not to get over it, but rather spend my money at a restaurant that has good product and values. It's customers more than this establishment! Does this restaurant make it quality product absolutely! Does this restaurant value customer is coming early in placing orders with them directly and honoring what they say? Absolutely not, at least not in my case! This restaurant goes from 5 to 2 stars because of this awful interaction. I am so disappointed, but that is life and with so many awesome businesses out there vying for customers this behavior could send them into a death spiral. GN3

I come every morning to get the best chorizo and egg torta I've ever had…read more I can't express in words how orgasmic the tortas are! Wow..it really starts my day off great. I literally can't get enough! The hard working ladies are always accommodating and nice to me. Thank you sooo much y'all truly! I drive an extra 20 mins just to come and it's sooo worth it. Don't second guess on coming here. Also, if you love chorizo try them tortas!!!

Sometimes all it takes is a craving and a good map app…read more My son and I were headed from Northwest Houston toward the Galleria when I got a random craving for empanadas. A quick search along our route brought us to The Empanada Company, and we arrived about 45 minutes before closing. The place isn't very large, and the bakery display cases held what was left of the day's offerings. The young lady behind the counter had been sweeping when we walked in and wasn't especially chatty when I asked about the different empanadas, but she answered my questions and let us browse. I was disappointed to find that the Chicken Tinga empanada I had my eye on was already sold out. My son ordered a couple of chicken pastries, and I gave him the side-eye because those aren't really empanadas in my book. I went with a Picadillo empanada, which came in more of a bell shape than the traditional empanada shape I'm used to seeing. Since I was still craving chicken and the empanada version was gone, I also grabbed one of the chicken pastries. The pastries were incredibly flaky--so flaky that half of one seemed determined to end up in my lap. Fortunately, the chicken filling was so good that I forgot about the mess until I finished eating. The Picadillo empanada was also quite tasty and easily the highlight of my visit. One thing that stood out was the pricing. Compared to other places I've visited for empanadas, the menu was surprisingly affordable. That's becoming increasingly rare these days. My only real complaint is the limited drink selection. A good empanada deserves a good beverage (Dr. Pepper) to go with it. Overall, this was a pleasant stop. The food was good, the prices were reasonable, and I'd definitely come back--especially for two or three more of those Picadillo empanadas. Worth a visit if you're in the area and looking for a quick, satisfying snack.

Was craving some pupusas and stopped by for a quick bite. It took a bit but very reasonable price…read more Everything was $6 and filling. Pupusas 5/5 Cheese melt so well. Pupusas was hot and tasty. Tamale 5/5 So soft and tasty. Filling was good.

Tucked away off of Crabb River Road. My daughter wanted pupusas specifically from this place. They…read moredidnt have chicken so she got cheese. There is seating inside if you want to dine in. There are two sides and it looks like they sell grocery type things and have a small kitchen in the back for their menu items.

We just moved to the Houston area from west Texas. Being Colombian, there were no options for me…read moreout west. We're originally from Connecticut so I had Colombian food all around me. When I got here and found Cheo's, I was extremely excited to say the least. I picked up a dozen empanadas today and my husband and I devoured them in less than 10 minutes, as you can see from the picture. They reminded me of home and I couldn't be any happier. Thank you Haviva and Felix!!

Delicious empanadas. They don't have a physical store. I placed my order by phone and picked it up…read moreat their household. The owners were very responsive via text.

Food is fantastic , very tender steak and great Empanadas!!!…read more Love the cozy atmosphere and good Argentinian Beer.

Owner watches you from home on camera. Very creepy…read more And forget any service. Nice young man but one person waiting on the entire restaurant. This is our second time. Never again.

Warmly received and got help making selections. Service was quick and cheerful. The empanadas are…read moreamazing. It's well worth seeking out. There's a park nearby in the Theatre District that provided a fine place to enjoy and a place to lock up a bicycle.

I went the 2nd week of April 2025 and it was closed. The security guard confirmed. I was really…read morelooking forward to trying out these empanadas as they were highly recommended. I still get my fix at Argentina Empanadas across the freeway from Osteen's mega church

The BEST Argentinian empanadas you will ever eat in Texas!! Very authentic and flavorful…read more Me.sebastian was an incredible host and gave excellent service! The place was spotless, very clean. I am overly satisfied and will be back asap!!!

Love that they brand them with the type…read more 3.5 - Bacon, egg, and cheese (3.5/3) 3.3 - Beef 3.3 - Beef, Spicy. (2.6/3.3) 1.0 - cheese, onion, and mushroom (-/1) 3.6 - chicken, spicy (3/3.6) 3.3 - Corn 3.2 - corn, Bechamel. Eggs, bacon, and cheese. (3.2/3) 3.7 - Four cheese (3.7/3.5) 3.0 - ham and cheese (3/-) 3.2 - pork 2.5 - sausage, jalapeño, and cheese (2/2.5) 3.0 - Texas brisket (2.3/3) 3.4 - Texas brisket, spicy (2.5/3.4)